India is the new China: Smartphone makers are starting to make the big shift

Seems the cost of making smartphones in China and Korea is becoming step, over a month after Samsung announced that it will soon start manufacturing its Galaxy flagship smartphones in India, this week Sony and HTC followed suit. So why the massive migration? Is China becoming expensive or are other countries opening the doors for smartphone makers. The latest trend, indicates that India is the new China or can I say Foxconn when it comes to assembling smartphones.

According to an Economic Times report, the HTC entered into an agreement with Global Devices Network, which has its own manufacturing and assembling unit in a town called Noida near capital New Delhi. Global Devices Network already produces handsets for local brand Zen. Sony also announced that it might soon start manufacturing smartphones in India. According to India Managing Director Kenichiro Hibi said the company is “very seriously” considering starting a manufacturing facility in India.

Sony’s move comes to comply with India’s recent ‘Make in India’ initiative, started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that encourages businesses to manufacture goods in India rather than importing them. Since then, several companies have shown interest in starting manufacturing facilities in India, including Foxconn. We already have Samsung manufacturing the Tizen-based Z1 in India.

HTC is rumored to have already started at the facility, and commercial-level production will begin by mid-next month. The Taiwanese company will manufacture handsets priced in the range of $160 to $390.

So don’t be surprised when your next smartphone has the made in India logo etched on it.